Reconciliation
by RazzDazz
Summary: “He doesn’t deserve you if he can’t win you.” He was standing opposite her. Nothing separated them. The connecting door was wide open.


There were no twinkling stars on the limitless midnight sky. There was no moon beaming its alluring mysticism to the earth. The night sky was heavily shrouded with thick clouds. It was also windy night. But she felt warm. Why? She hadn't an inkling, as to the odd phenomenon. She was at the balcony looking up at the midnight sky. What should she do? His room was next to hers. Their rooms were connected by a door. Her eyes darted at the next balcony. His room was lighted dimly.

He was in his room. She saw him looking at her from his room. He was leaning against the wall with the glass door closed. His eyes glittered dangerously in the dimness like a predator surveying his prey. She gulped and gripped the lapels of her robe tighter. She immediately entered into her room and closed the door and locked it. She looked at the connecting door. It was slightly ajar. Was it ajar when she was at the balcony? She was sure it was shut. She found herself in front of the connecting door.

Her hand was on the door knob. She bit her lower lip, contemplating whether to open the door wider. Why must she be the one to suddenly feel guilty? Why must she be the one to have to come to him? She had refused to consummate their marriage because she didn't know him as well as his best friend. One thing she knew was that he might look cool on the outside but that was what he projected to the world. Inside he was simmering with intense and unbridled fury at the world.

That was the reason why he was brilliant as an entrepreneur. He was ruthless in his business dealings. She remembered now why she refused his advances. He had literally stolen her from his best friend in a card game. A high stakes card game, mind you! The prize was her. She was angry at him and at his best friend who happened to be her boyfriend. How could he agree to gamble her away like that?! She hated them. It was uncouth and underhanded act.

"He doesn't deserve you if he can't win you."

He was standing opposite her. Nothing separated them. The connecting door was wide open. She stared at him with wide eyes. He stared at her with narrowed eyes. Her heart was beating rapidly against her ribcage. She was finding it difficult to breathe. Why was her heart pounding so hard? It was also aching, as if yearning for something. Why was it aching? She placed a palm on her chest to rub the sensation away. She balled the other hand into a fist at him.

"I'm not a thing you people could barter as you pleased."

She glared at him and proceeded to close the door on his face. He placed a palm on the door. She tried to close the door putting all her might on the door. He easily pushed the door with his upper right body using his arm. She was thrown back and fell on her bottom. He was in her room. He approached her. She cringed in fright. She didn't know what to do and what to think of him. He frowned while staring down at her.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

"Hurt?" She glared at him again. "You've no idea."

She backed away from him. For a moment she thought she saw something akin to sadness in his eyes. But it disappeared as he sighed and backed away from her to lean his back on the wall next to the connecting door. He was shirtless and was in his boxers. His hair wasn't slicked back as would normally. Instead his hair was slightly messed. A lock flopped carelessly on his left eye giving him a devil may care charm. She found it hard to look away from him.

"I don't have an inkling of how you feel. I did what I had to because I didn't want you to be made a fool. I married you because it would put a stop to his nonsense."

He looked dangerous yet vulnerable at the same time. He presented something she hadn't seen before. She was sure it was just her imagination but his features which were normally harsh and arrogant became softer. He looked at her tenderly and longingly. Her breath hitched, her hand went to her chest instantaneously. She rose slowly and was on her feet but not daring to move. He looked at her from her lips, her nose, and her eyes.

It was more of caressing every inch of her with his eyes. She knew it the moment she saw his eyes. It was the same reflection of what she had now begun to realise. She felt the same thing as he did. It was latent and potent at the same time. But then he began to shift his weight forward. He wasn't leaning on the wall anymore. His eyes shifted to the starless sky. His eyes were as listless as the starless midnight sky. She felt constricted and apprehensive all of a sudden.

He produced a yellow envelope from behind him. He held it out to her. She stood staring at him then at the envelope. He walked passed her towards the dressing table to put the envelope on it. He turned round to depart when he felt a hand on his arm. He turned his head sideways. He glanced at the hand on his arm then at her. He stood still yet his heart pounded wildly against his ribcage. He slowly took her hand off his arm with his.

"Haruhi, I'm giving you your walking papers." He spoke gently but didn't look at her, "Just as you'd wanted."

He couldn't look at her. His heart was giving way. He had to get away from her. He didn't want her to see his weakness. He didn't want her to see him cry. A man like him cried alone. But she caught the teary glister in his eyes. She was shocked to see the mighty Kyouya Ootori would shed tears of loneliness and despair. He quickly turned his back at her. He chuckled to hide his sadness and embarrassment. He started to walk towards the opened door connecting to his room.

Suddenly he felt her body pressed on his back. Her arms wrapped around his waist preventing him to move further. His heart was beating faster. His eyebrows furrowed as he tried to regain his composure. His hands stilled by his sides. He didn't break loose from her embrace. He let her hug him. This would be their last embrace as husband and wife after six months of empty marriage. This was probably her way of thanking him for releasing her at last.

It pained him that this was the first time she had embraced him. But it pained him more to know that his action to win her at a card game six months ago was making her suffer. He had thought by winning her from that 'drama king' Tamaki Suou who only thought of her as a spare tyre when his true paramour Éclair wasn't around. Of course she was a professional. She was a lawyer who was brilliant in her job. But somehow wasn't lucky in her love life.

Where had her exceptional judgment on the human psyche gone to? It was there as sharp as ever but became dull whenever Tamaki was with her. She swallowed her pride because of that university scholarship she received because the elder Suou had pulled some strings. It wasn't for her but more for Suou's self-interest. In return, the elder Suou had wanted her to become a part of the family. Not because she was rich.

On the contrary, by making her a Suou, it would bring upon good fortune to the family name for being a philanthropist. But before that insidious plan materialised, his son had foolishly engaged in a high staked gamble wagering on a living commodity, the elder Suou's successful pet project named Haruhi Fujioka. He thought it was heaven sent, the opportunity to save her from their clutches. First, he had to win the game and second, to marry her to put a stop to their playing with her life.

Although she understood that she was at their mercy, she was denying the fact that she was living in duress and was constantly miserable. Tamaki was poor at calculating the odds in life staking games. He on the other hand was an expert. He even advised Tamaki to choose something that he was good at like polo. But his best friend confidently declined indicating that he could pull it off. Where did that amicable and admirable fellow disappeared to?

Tamaki was betrayed by his own mother. She didn't want him. He was to her a burden she was itching to get rid of. Her tryst with his father was nothing more than a passing passion and for money to pay her accumulating debts. Debts her family had bestowed on her upon their death. Her own habitual gambling debts and excessive spending that was way of her limits. She had sold him to his father and relinquished her responsibilities as a mother. His spirit was broken. He was a hollowed man.

"Why are you like this?" Kyouya shook Tamaki's shoulders.

Tamaki slapped his hands away and in a drunken state which was now more often, "People change, man. It's natural."

"Damn it, Tamaki! Why her?"

Kyouya punched Tamaki's jaw in a fit of frustration. Tamaki was too drunk to defend himself. The blow from Kyouya's fist sent him flying and his back hit the wall. He slumped forward with both hands splayed on the ground. He hadn't enough strength to lift his head. Kyouya strode to his side, bent slightly to turn him over. He frowned to see Tamaki chuckling away like a loon. He wanted to slap that crazy laughter away. Tamaki had just lost his bet to him. Haruhi was now his.

"Why the hell not!" Tamaki guffawed, "I knew you'd whisk her away from me," Then slapped a weak hand on the ground. "Kyouya, I know you better than you know yourself."

"What crap are you on to now?!" Kyouya bellowed at Tamaki, "Look at yourself, you bloody jackass!"

He grabbed Tamaki by the lapels and wanted to smack the grin of his face. She deserved someone better than either of them. He raised a hand when Tamaki's shaking hand grabbed hold of his. His amethyst eyes held Kyouya's onyx ones.

"I'm no good for her. You know it. I know it. She knows it." Tamaki smiled, "I'm glad it was you," and then he drifted off unconsciously in Kyouya's arms.

He blinked out of his reverie when he felt warm hands on his cheeks. He looked at the owner of the hands. She was standing in front of him. Her lips parted as if trying to say something but didn't know what to say. His eyes strayed to her lips. Then shifted to her eyes, they were glistening of tears threatening to fall. He immediately thumbed her left eye which was heavy with unshed tears. He hated to see women cry especially if the woman was Haruhi.

"I'd better go."

He informed her and moved towards the connecting passage between his room and hers. But she held her ground. Her body blocked him from entering the passage. He frowned slightly. Why was she being difficult? Didn't she want her freedom from him? For six months, their marriage was a farce. What more was there to hold on to? He didn't want to hold on to a hopeless dream. He gave her a gentle push enough to open a way for him to slip passed her.

"Kyouya," She uttered his name for the first time. "Don't go." During the six months it was 'Kyouya-senpai' or 'Ootori-san'. She held a hand out but not touching him, "I… I love you."

He stood motionless. His eyes darted at her slight curvy frame. She stood on tiptoe as she brushed her lips on his. The light kiss cracked open his steely composure of self restraint. His breath hitched and in that moment he grabbed her waist with a hand behind her nape. He lowered his head and kissed her with unconcealed passion and longing.

"I love you too."

THE END

**A/N: Dear Readers, this story came up when I was thinking of the plots for both Lord Haru and TFA. This fic is a little different from what you're accustomed to. There's a twist in Tamaki's char and background making him darker but not making him totally a villain. Also there's a twist in Haruhi's background as well. Anyways, I do hope you'll enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Cheerio!**


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